Al-Shabaab raids on army bases in Somalia kill at least 25

Mogadishu [Somalia], June 9: At least 25 people were killed during terrorist attacks on four army bases in central Somalia on Saturday, officials confirmed.
Somali army spokesman Abukar Mohamed Hassan told dpa that the Al-Shabaab group carried out "a massive assault" from different directions, in the Eldheer district, with suicide bombers and heavily armed militants.
"Our national armed forces and local armed militias fought hard to deny the militants from taking over the district, killing more than 20 terrorists," he said.
Hassan said that the country's international partners were supporting the army in the air. Although he did not name which foreign powers were involved in Saturday's airstrikes, Turkey and the US routinely provide military support to the Somali army.
He added that at least two Somali soldiers and three local clan militias fighting alongside the army were killed in today's attack.
Al-Shabaab said on its Radio Andalus that its fighters had captured four army bases around Eldheer, killing dozens of soldiers.
These claims could not be immediately verified.
Muhyadiin Arabow, a local elderman, told DPA that the fighting lasted about four hours, forcing a number of residents to flee their homes.
Source: Qatar Tribune